Low stockpiles? Maybe, but inventories not so bad from utility perspective

摘要

Despite the ongoing talk of dwindling coal inventories at Eastern utilities, at least three prominent fuel buyers still believe the majority of power plants remain in somewhat comfortable positions through the early portion of May. That's not to suggest that stockpiles haven't diminished over the last few months. Inventories have indeed fallen. Still, buyers and even suppliers have agreed that there is no general panic among those who must replenish supply in the coming months. Coal availability is expected by many to tighten further as 2008 unfolds, but for now, buyers aren't losing too mudh sleep due to inventory levels. Duke Energy's Elliott Batson, Progress Energy's Brett Phipps and Southern Company's Chad Hewitt discussed their current understanding of where Eastern utilities stand at the recent Eastern Fuel Buyers Conference in Orlando.